Research Area Active Mobility
Active mobility refers to getting around using one’s own muscle power, primarily on foot or by bicycle, often supplemented by public transport. It is central to the mobility transition and contributes to health, quality of life and environmental protection.
As an interdisciplinary research group at the University of Innsbruck, we work within the framework of the BMIMI Endowed Professorship for Active Mobility: Movement in Leisure Time and Everyday Life at the intersection of the economy, the environment, tourism and society. At the heart of our research is a social science-based perspective on active mobility as movement, whereby we analyse in particular the interplay of individual, social and structural factors.
In short: We motivate people to be more physically active in their everyday and leisure mobility.
Our research addresses, amongst others, the following questions:
- What factors influence active mobility in everyday life and during leisure time?
- What are the psychosocial, motor and health effects of active mobility?
- What are effective measures for behavioural change that can overcome inertia in mobility behaviour and make a sustainable contribution to an active, health-promoting and environmentally responsible mobility culture?
- How can such measures be implemented to achieve a broad and long-term impact?
Our research is user-centred, interdisciplinary and internationally oriented. We use Transformative Service Research as our overarching theoretical framework. It analyses the service ecosystem to understand the impact of active mobility on the system as a whole.
We disseminate our research findings within the scientific community and to decision-makers, and raise awareness of the importance of sport, physical activity and active mobility in society.
Keywords: Behavioral Economics; Experiments; Social Preferences; Mobility Behavior
Keywords: Active Mobility; Physical Activity & Well-Being, Sports Tourism; Destination Development; Tourism, Leisure & Service Research
Keywords: Active Mobility; Active School Travel; Physical Activity Behaviour in Children and Adolescents; Gamification and Wearable-Based Interventions
Keywords: Consumer Behavior & Physical Activity; Tourism, Leisure & Physical Activity; Active Mobility & Different Target Groups (Focus on Child and Youth Mobility)
Keywords: Tourism, Leisure & Health; Consumer Behavior & Physical Activity; Active Mobility; Sports Tourism; Health Tourism
Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Ursula Scholl-Grissemann
Keywords: Consumer Behavior in Leisure and Recreation; Active Mobility as a Service; Experimental Designs; Quantitative Research
Niemuth, L., Pachucki, C., Schobersberger, W., & Happ, E. (2026). Zukunft der nachhaltigen Tourismusmobilität: Die Rolle digitaler Tools für die Generationen Y & Z. Marketing Review St Gallen, 59–69.
Conference Presentations:
Niemuth, L. (2026/02/19): Factors Shaping the (Non-)Use of Active OnSite Mobility in Alpine Tourism: A Virtual Reality Study. [Conference presentation], 15. Innsbrucker Sportökonomie und -management Symposium, Innsbruck
Niemuth, L. (2026/03/26): Active On-Site Mobility Behavior in Alpine-Urban Tourism: Understanding Drivers and Barriers from a Virtual-Reality-Based Study. [Conference presentation], EUniverCities Network, Innsbruck Meeting, Moving forward: Universities and Cities Shaping Health and Social Cohesion through Sport, Innsbruck
Happ, E., Schöttl, S., Scholl-Grissemann, U., Hofmann, V. (2025/09). On-Site Active Mobility: A Green Path to Leisure and Sports Facilities [Conference Presentation], European Association Sport Management, Budapest.
Niemuth, L.; Happ, E.; Scholl-Grissemann, U. (2025/09/26): On-Site Mobility in Alpine Tourism: Motivations, Opportunities and Abilities for Sustainable Transport Choices in Tyrol. [Conference presentation], Caring for the City, Vienna.
Interview & Keynotes:
Hachleitner, B. (2026). Der aktive Weg zur Gesundheit. VCÖ – Mobilität mit Zukunft. https://vcoe.at/news/details/der-aktive-weg-zur-gesundheit
Happ, E. (2026, 26. März). Bewegung ist mehr als Sport — Einblicke aus der Wissenschaft [Keynote]. Sportgipfel Tirol 2026, St. Anton am Arlberg, Österreich. https://sportgipfel.tirol/at/programm/2026.php
Laufende Projekte
Behavioral Economics for Active Transport BEAT (Funding Title: Zero Emission Mobility plus 2025)
The BEAT project investigates how behavioral economics interventions can encourage people who commute to work to switch from motorized private transportation to sustainable modes of transportation such as public transit and active mobility. The focus is on developing and evaluating low-threshold measures that measurably influence attitudes, decision-making processes, and actual mobility routines.
Details
Active Mobility & School Travel Behaviour – Active school travel as part of children’s everyday movement behaviour and daily physical activity
Communication and message framing of active mobility in tourism services
Identifying drivers of active mobility choice: Discrete choice experiment
Projektarchiv
- DiVOMO – Digitalisierung der touristischen Vor-Ort-Mobilität
Details